Choice Hotels to open five new hotels in Ireland
Choice Hotels Ireland is to open five new budget hotels over the coming year, trading under the Comfort Inns brand. The €115m (£79m) expansion will see two Dublin properties opening next summer, followed by sites in Cork, Limerick and Portlaoise. - Irish Independent, 26 February.
S&N pubs division to develop 100 canalside pubs
Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises has completed its deal with British Waterways to develop a nationwide chain of more than 100 pubs across the organisation's canals and rivers. - The Times, 26 February.
McDonald's fined for under-age working
A McDonald's restaurant in Swords, County Dublin, has been fined €1,500 (£1,035) for allowing a 15-year-old schoolboy to work beyond permitted times. Dublin District Court heard that the boy worked beyond the 8pm limit on under-16s on three dates, in December 2003 and April and May 2004. - Irish Independent, 26 February.
London declared best place to eat in the world
London is the best place to eat on the planet, according to America's leading food magazine. The latest edition of Gourmet says the capital's restaurants are far superior to rivals in Paris, Rome and New York. Editors said they were "blown away" by London's food. "The glory days are back," said one. The magazine devotes its entire 180-page March issue to London dining. - Sunday Telegraph, 27 February.
Barracuda Group put up for sale
Barracuda Group, owner of the Varsity and Smith & Jones bar chains, has been put up for sale with a £150m price tag. PPM Ventures, the private-equity house that formed Barracuda in July 2000, has appointed the Citigroup investment bank to evaluate options for the company. These include a sale to another venture capitalist, flotation, refinancing and a trade sale. - Sunday Times, 27 February.
Happy hours may be stopped to prevent binge-drinking
The happy hour in pubs is to be replaced with the happy day under controversial new moves to combat Scotland's heavy-drinking culture. Ministers are to introduce new laws banning bars from offering cheap drink deals for short periods of time. Instead, if pubs want to offer cheap beer and spirits, they will have to keep the price for a minimum of 48 hours. - Scotland on Sunday, 27 February.
Government hint at U-turn on public smoking ban
The Government's plan to ban smoking in nearly all pubs by 2008 was in disarray last night after a cabinet minister disclosed that the proposals are to be watered down significantly. Peter Hain, the Leader of the Commons, paved the way for a U-turn on one of Labour's flagship policies by signalling that smokers' rooms will be permitted even in pubs that serve food. - Sunday Telegraph, 27 February.
Little Chef to hang up its apron
The Travelodge budget hotel group, which owns Little Chef, is putting about 120 of the restaurants up for sale and will rename about 115 others that it will keep. Company insiders believe it is highly unlikely that any new buyer will want to maintain the Little Chef name. It is thought possible that a rival company, such as McDonald's, will want to buy the sites. Permira, the company that owns Travelodge, has found revitalising Little Chef far harder than it expected when it bought the chain two years ago. - Sunday Times, 27 February.
Wetherspoon to report profits dip this week
JD Wetherspoon is expected to report a sharp fall in half-year profits on Friday. Analysts expect a drop of between 14% and 18% in interim profits to about £23m, owing to squeezed margins and higher energy costs. - Mail on Sunday, 27 February.
Irish pub group to open £5.3m pub in Disney World
Great Irish Pub Holdings has raised £3.6m in private equity to fund the opening of an Irish-themed bar and restaurant at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The bar will open in what is described as "downtown Disney" in the summer. - Sunday Times (Irish edition), 27 February.